Tips for your interview at Premium.
As a job seeker, it’s exciting when you score an interview, but it can also be intimidating. So, we asked a few of our Premium Recruiters for tips to help you shine.
Our recruiter panel.
They interview prospective Premium team members all year long. On average, Premium’s talent acquisition team interviews 1,000+ candidates a week! The team recruits for merchandising and consumer sales roles across the U.S. and Canada.
What does Premium look for in a candidate?
It’s always a bonus when we find candidates who have previous retail merchandising or sales experience, especially within consumer electronics. Regardless of work experience, energy, attitude, and self-confidence go a long way.
Candidates excel when they demonstrate:
Enthusiasm: In retail, there has to be a desire to work with the public. We need service-oriented people who are eager and find their energy in interacting with and helping others.
Curiosity: It’s great when a candidate asks for more details about their job responsibilities. Our clients count on us for a variety of services, so we look for people who are willing to follow instructions and learn new skills from the ground up.
Passion: We love to hear a candidate take pride in their work. When they are proactive about asking how they can be successful at Premium, it shows they’re ready to work hard.
Adaptability: The retail industry moves fast. Because of this, we must be willing to embrace new opportunities, adjust to unexpected and quickly changing situations and seek to improve continuously.
Teamwork: Premium has an entrepreneurial spirit and values collaboration and teamwork. Partnership, integrity, and creativity are some of our core beliefs and are crucial to serving clients and shoppers.
Commitment: Emphasize your ability to stay organized, meet deadlines on time, and deliver more than the minimum. We look for candidates who want to grow with our company, so expressing a desire to advance tells us you’re determined and goal-oriented. 
What if a candidate doesn’t have experience in retail?
No worries. It’s not required, and it’s never too late to learn. We have many successful team members who have come to Premium without any retail experience.
Don’t count yourself out if you’re a college student, retiree, caregiver, or stay-at-home parent returning to the workforce. Our diversity in backgrounds and experiences is what makes us collectively Premium. You likely have many valuable and transferrable skills to apply in retail.
There are hundreds of examples:
What questions should I ask in my interview?
The job posting gives a great high-level overview of what you’ll do in the role, but it won’t tell you every little detail. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions to ensure the job is the right fit for you.
- What kind of training will I get?
- What does a typical day look like?
- How big is the team I would be a part of?
- Tell me more about X, Y, or Z, listed in the job posting.
- Why is Premium a great place to work?
- If I take this role, where might I be in two or even five years?
What are your best tips for how to stand out?
Before applying:
- Update your resume to include your current job (or your most recent work experience). You want to inform the recruiter of all your relevant skills because it increases your chances of being selected for an interview.
- Do one last proofread to ensure your application and resume do not have typos or spelling errors. Premium employees must make good impressions with stores, shoppers, and clients. Always take the extra time to ensure you maximize your first impression.
Before the interview:
- Pull up the job posting and make a quick list of the things that get you most excited about the role. Think about words in the job posting that describe you, and make sure you highlight those to the Recruiter.
- Prepare some questions. If there are sections of the job description that you don’t fully understand, don’t be afraid to ask the Recruiter if they can expand on it.
- Do some basic research. If you aren’t familiar with Premium, a great place to start is Premium Retail 101 where you can learn more about what we do in retail. Our Job Spotlight videos also help provide insight into the job’s day-to-day.
- Think of your  top five accomplishments or difficult situations you have overcome. Jot down the details so you can paint a picture of the situation. What tools were you given? Who did you have to collaborate with? How did you uphold high-quality standards? Did you learn to become more efficient? How did you know you were successful?
During the interview.
- Be on time (even a little early) to show us you’re prepared.
- Share your excitement about the opportunity. Demonstrating your enthusiasm also excites the Recruiter about you as a candidate.
- Smile, and be yourself. Tell us what you’ve achieved in the past and what you’re looking for now. Walk us through the steps you’ve taken to accomplish a project or goal. Sharing these details demonstrates you can do the job.
After the interview.
- Follow-up. It’s a small gesture, but follow-through makes a memorable impression.
- Make sure your phone is working, your voicemail is set up, and it can accept messages. Return calls from the Recruiter promptly and check your emails daily.
- Be timely. When you accept a job offer, complete your paperwork promptly. Not only does this demonstrate your ability to stay within a timeline, but it also makes the onboarding process go more quickly for you and the Recruiter. 
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Job opportunities at Premium offer a chance to develop new skills and build your career. Search our available opportunities and apply if you haven’t already. We can’t wait to meet you!